Cylinder maker boosts output with Thompson machine

European hydraulic cylinder manufacturer Kyashif has boosted productivity thanks to a Thompson direct drive rotary friction welding machine. The Bulgaria-based business chose the PR Series model equipped with a KUKA robot so it could speed up the production of joining pre-chromed plated piston rods to rod end connectors at its facility in Dzhebel.The Thompson machine also met the company's requirements for a compact manufacturing cell which could fit in an area on the shopfloor where space was limited. Kyashif is using the equipment to produce standard and custom cylinders from 40-320mm diameter and up to 6000mm in length. "Many of Kyashif's potential customers were asking for a friction welded quality joint rather than the alternative arc welding method, in particular, because new alloy metals are more suited to the friction welding process," explained Colin Nicholls, European sales manager."Kyashif's owners are delighted that output has been improved, especially with the addition of the robot for the part loading/unloading operation. They're also impressed by the machine's ability to accommodate a wide variety of component sizes," he added.